Mount Pleasant machine moved 17 million bank cubic metres
Thiess set a world record at MACH Energy’s Mount Pleasant Operation in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. A Liebherr R 9600 excavator moved 17 million bank cubic metres in 12 months across 6,840 operating hours.
The result marks the highest material moved in a 12-month period by a Liebherr R 9600 excavator. According to Thiess, the machine began work at Mount Pleasant on 1 July 2025 and had already set a monthly production benchmark.
At Mount Pleasant, high utilisation, sustained machine hours and a focus on productivity drove the record. Teams also worked across the full 12 months to reduce downtime and keep output steady.
Thiess Group Executive Australia East Rae O’Brien said the record reflected collaboration across operations, maintenance, technical services and planning. She said a result of that scale required consistent execution, disciplined planning, strong partnerships and a focus on performance.
Meanwhile, Thiess said its maintenance team supported fleet reliability at the New South Wales site. Technical Services handled planning and pathing, while operations crews adjusted dig sequences and haulage.
As a result, the Liebherr R 9600 delivered sustained high-volume production for MACH Energy. Thiess said the 17 million bank cubic metre total set a new global benchmark for the model.
745 days without lost time injury
The production milestone came with a strong safety record. Thiess reported 745 days LTI-free at the project during the period covering the world record.
Project Manager Ryan Fox said disciplined execution underpinned the result at Mount Pleasant. He said the team applied a daily “be better” mindset to work smarter, safer and more efficiently.
Fox also pointed to the site’s motto: “manage the minutes, because minutes matter and seconds count.” He said the team aimed for optimal performance every shift.
Thiess issued the result through Thiess Pty Ltd, ABN 87 010 221 486. The company also released a caption for the image “Thiess Liebherr 9600 excavator 12-month world record.jpg” showing team members celebrating at Mount Pleasant in New South Wales.
Following the monthly benchmark set after 1 July 2025, the 12-month total now stands as the highest recorded for a Liebherr R 9600 excavator. The record reinforces Thiess’ performance at MACH Energy’s Mount Pleasant Operation in the Hunter Valley.
